Computer networks may involve dozens or hundreds of computing devices, each operating one or more software applications. These devices and applications may, in combination with one another, support and/or facilitate higher-level or end-to-end services. Network mapping tools can be used to provide visual representations of these devices and applications, as well as the connectivity therebetween. For instance, various devices and/or applications may be represented as nodes in a graph, and the connectivity of these nodes may be represented as edges of the graph.
As the size of networks grow, however, these network mapping tools become less useful, as the sheer number of nodes and connections is too great to be represented on a computer screen. Also, even if all of such a visual representation can fit onto a screen, it may be too complex and intricate to be of practical use.